New research on the performance of HT-ATES
In a new contribution to the advancement of sustainable thermal energy technologies, a newly published scientific paper outlines key insights into the performance of High-Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) systems. The study reveals how physical parameters of the subsurface can be used to estimate system efficiency, and it offers a valuable open-access dataset to support further research and development.
Key parameters for efficiency
The research identifies strong correlations between aquifer thickness, injected water volume, and thermal recovery efficiency, three factors that together offer a practical method for quickly estimating the efficiency of HT-ATES systems. “The key findings of our article are the found correlation between aquifer thickness, injected water volume and the recovery efficiency, which can be used to easily estimate the efficiency of an HT-ATES system,” said David Geerts, the lead author.
In addition to these findings, the paper validates the relationship between recovery efficiency and energetic efficiency—a crucial metric for real-world applications such as district heating. According to the authors, “we validated a relation between recovery efficiency and energetic efficiency useful for applying HT-ATES in district heating.”
An open source dataset
A notable output of the study is the generation of a large, open-source dataset that models the performance of various HT-ATES system configurations. This dataset, now publicly available, lowers the barrier to entry for researchers and engineers by removing the need for time-consuming and complex numerical modeling. “We generated a large dataset for HT-ATES systems and their corresponding recovery efficiency which can be used by others and is also used by ourselves in an upcoming paper,” Geerts explained.
Societal impact
While the societal impact of the study is primarily scientific at this stage, the findings serve an important foundational role. “The societal impact is very small as this is mostly scientific work,” the author noted, but added, “this work helps for quickly identifying suitable HT-ATES sites and giving a ballpark estimate on the expected efficiency.” The availability of the dataset also fosters collaboration and speeds up development: “This dataset makes this information easily accessible for others to use and makes sure others do not have to run the quite complex numerical models.”
The next step
Looking to the future, the authors see a shift in focus from purely technical analysis toward economic feasibility. As the technology matures, making it financially viable becomes essential. “What I think is missing in the HT-ATES field and HT-UTES in general is the economic approach. We are slowly moving from a good idea into more workable and applicable technologies,” Geerts said. Within the PUSH-IT project, the team is working to raise the technology readiness level of HT-ATES systems. “I think the focus will shift towards the development of business cases of the HT-UTES technologies and papers/projects analysing these economics are important for increased adaptation of these technologies.”
The study marks a meaningful step forward in enabling more accessible, efficient, and realistic modeling of HT-ATES systems—laying the groundwork for their broader adoption in the energy transition.
If you want to read the complete article, you can find it here
PUSH-IT is a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101096566.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
